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How to nab a cruise bargain with a family of 5
A time will come when I’ll pay anything for a bedroom door between my children and I. Right now that’s as economical as ordering each child a side of sautéed broccolini – it won’t be enjoyed quite the way I hoped. Until then, I’m cruising while my kids are at an age when sharing one cabin makes sense. Only problem is we’re a family of five. And most ships are not built that way. But pick the right ship – and right destination – to make cruising with a larger family easy.
Like almost three-qua...
What I saw on this cruise cabin door stunned me
It’s like turning up at an emo fancy-dress to discover everyone else knew the theme changed to ‘white party’.
That’s what it was like stepping on to the Carnival Splendor for my first Christmas cruise to see other passengers go all-out decorating their cabin doors with explosions of festive cheer. Did I miss the memo, I thought, wiping off my black lippie? I’d read all the pre-boarding information and there was no mention of BYO tinsel.
Comfort food after a crisis
Mary Wills and Kerryn Boogaard, founders of The Wholesome Collective, are getting to work.
Perfect Spring Stays on the Central Coast
From the beach to the hinterland, find the perfect Spring Stay on the Central Coast.
Have you got what it takes to be a tour guide?
Travel the world and get paid for it. Or share your local favourite spots and be rewarded. In other words, be a tour guide. Surely people are lining up to nab a guiding job? Not so, says an Australian tourism industry group that’s calling on travel lovers to consider becoming tour guides in a bid to address an industry shortage.
How I saved $14k on flights for my family of five
Most frequent flyer advice focuses on travelling up the pointy end of the plane. It’s champagne-in-hand aspirational. Their goal: to lie fully flat for (nearly) free.
From the cordial-soaked perspective of family travel, my goal is simply to get the whole gang there and back. I’ve just booked one domestic and four international flights for my family of five for less than $2000. It should have cost more than $16,000. That’s $14 grand in savings.
There’s a wave of middle-aged women learning to surf and I’m on it
Fresh from catching her first wave, writer Tara Wells explores why middle-aged women are choosing this moment to finally dip their toes into the water and tick surfing off their bucket lists.
7 reasons to book an inside cabin on your next cruise
Booking an inside cabin on a cruise ship usually comes with an over-jolly disclaimer. Like, ‘We’re only there to sleep because there’s so much to do on board!’ Because if you were more cashed up, so the expectation goes, then you’d choose a fancy balcony suite. Right? I’ve stayed in both and can say that cabins boasting invigorating salty air are not all they’re cracked up to be. Give me an inside cabin any day.
Cruise ship trivia leaves Aussies scratching their heads
I’ve long dreamed of winning big on a TV quiz show. I want fame, fortune and to show off my general knowledge to a huge audience. But if all that’s on offer is a “Dinghy on a Stringy” at cruise ship trivia, then, oh, I am so there.
A theatre full of fellow passengers on the Carnival Splendor, all waiting for the morning’s daily trivia to kick off, proves I’m not the only one. Trivia is a near-certainty on programs across cruise ships of all sizes. It’s one of the most popular activities, too,...
Eight ways to become a cruise trivia champ
Here’s how to win trivia on board a cruise ship. Get the most answers right. Simple.
When that is not always within reach, there are ways to make victory more likely (anything for a bit of branded merchandise, right?). Win or lose, this is how to make trivia a winner regardless of your final score.
I took the same Carnival Splendor cruise twice in 3 weeks
I went on the same cruise twice, just three weeks apart. Same cruise line, same proposed itinerary, exact same ship.
Grandparents on both sides of the family had been desperate for a multi-generational catch-up after two years of lockdowns, so they both – separately – booked a family-friendly cruise in the same school holiday window. Except for my partner and our three kids, the 3007 other passengers on Carnival Splendor to New Caledonia were (probably) different. “Probably” because, accordin...
The moment I knew: ‘He raced over to help some hapless hikers. Their tent was up in minutes’
The night I met my husband I came home disappointed. Seated on the edge of the bed, I removed my earrings, puzzled. I had been so sure I would meet someone that night; there was a buzz in my body, a little hum of excitement. Tonight is special, it whispered.
Travel boycotts aren’t the answer. Here’s why.
You might not realize it, but choosing travel destinations can be a political act. Writer Tara Wells explores why the action of travel boycotts may not bring the change we intend.
Town and Country: Sydney's Great West Walk
Sydney’s 60 km Great West Walk traverses a landscape of woodlands, river systems and parklands whist also offering an insight into some Australia’s oldest architecture.